Members of Parliament in Sierra Leone have discussed the ‘Tobacco and Nicotine Control Bill 2022’ in a pre-legislative hearing to ban smoking in public places, reports Concord Times.

Public places proposed in the bill where people should not smoke include offices and workplaces, court buildings and factories, hospitals, clinics and other health institutions, corridors, reception areas, escalators, cinema halls, theatres, video houses, restaurants, hotels, bars and other eating places. Smoking will also be banned in premises where children are taken care of, place of worship, correctional centres, police stations and cells, public service vehicles, aircrafts, passengers, educational facilities, markets, shopping malls and stadia.
World Health Organization Project Consultant, Reynold Senesi, said that Sierra Leone should develop and implement comprehensive, multi-sectional tobacco control strategies and plans, and also develop a comprehensive legislation to reduce tobacco use, nicotine addiction and exposure to tobacco smoke.